Nigerians have taken to social media to share divided opinions after Tony Elumelu corrected a young graduate trainee who addressed him by his first name, “Tony,” during a UBA event.
The incident occurred during the United Bank for Africa’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) graduation ceremony in Lagos, where Elumelu interacted with young professionals who had completed the program.
A video from the event shows a young woman beginning her interaction with the UBA Group Chairman by greeting him as “Tony.” Elumelu interrupted her and made it clear that he did not want to be addressed by his first name, according to reports and the viral footage. He told her to address him as “Mr. Elumelu” or “TOE” instead.
The billionaire businessman then explained his position by saying that he does not subscribe to what he described as “Oyinbo life.” The exchange quickly spread online, with Nigerians debating whether the young woman was wrong to use Elumelu’s first name or whether the correction was unnecessarily formal.
Why Tony Elumelu’s Comment Sparked Debate
For many Nigerians, the incident is largely about respect and cultural expectations. They argue that addressing an older person, senior executive, or prominent figure by their title or surname can be considered a basic sign of respect, particularly in formal settings.
Others, however, believe that using someone’s first name does not always amount to disrespect, especially in modern corporate environments where informal communication can be encouraged.
The disagreement has gone beyond Tony Elumelu and the young trainee, becoming part of a wider conversation about how Nigerians should address senior colleagues and executives.
Is Calling Tony Elumelu by His First Name Against UBA Policy?
There has been online discussion that UBA has a policy requiring employees or trainees to address senior executives by their titles. However, there is no publicly verified UBA policy establishing that employees must address Elumelu as “Mr. Elumelu” or “TOE.”
The viral incident should be understood as Elumelu expressing his own preference during the interaction rather than evidence of an official company-wide rule. UBA’s public information about its GMAP program describes it as a leadership and professional development initiative for young graduates but does not establish such a first-name restriction.
A Bigger Conversation About Workplace Respect
At the center of the debate is a simple question: should young professionals automatically use titles when speaking to senior executives?
There is no specific answer because workplace cultures differ, but the safest approach is often to follow the preference communicated by the individual or the established etiquette of the organization.
In Elumelu’s case, he made his preference clear during the interaction, asking to be addressed by a title, his surname, or “TOE.”
The viral moment has now opened a much wider discussion about respect, corporate culture, and the changing relationship between younger Nigerian professionals and senior executives.
